Museum

Open Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., the Bethalto Historical Museum is housed in the original Village Hall. Built in 1873 and enlarged in 1885, the two-story brick Victorian/Italianate town hall is the oldest governmental building still in use in Madison County. Recognizing its historical significance, it was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1987.

The Museum’s walls are lined with a pictorial history of people, places and events that helped shape the modern-day village. Even the village’s tiny one-room jail can still be seen today. The Museum contains various exhibits depicting Bethalto’s past including the role of its citizens in World Wars I and II, the founding of the town, the annual Homecoming Celebration, early police, fire, governmental departments and churches, and on the second floor, a recreated classroom from the past. For more information, contact John Nolte at 618-975-0156.